The challenge was immense. To see the factory which is already running 24 hours a day, five days a week, we say to ourselves that it is on the way to being successful. Six months after its launch, the 3D Tex production site already sees the release of thousands of sweaters and hats entirely “made in France” every week. A feat as the tricolor textile industry has been decimated, forcing the sector to massively relocate. Initiatives are born here and there in the spirit of enthusiasts driven by the desire to sew differently. In Saint-Malo, the eccentric idea germinated in the minds of three connoisseurs of the textile industry to develop a more ecological three-dimensional manufacturing concept.
“I started my career in textiles in Asia. I’ve seen the best craftsmanship there, but I’ve also seen the worst. I have seen rivers change color because of polluting discharges. We all know that thousands of people work in more than questionable conditions, that it is a very polluting industry. That doesn’t prevent us from buying clothes, me first. But it is above all because we have no choice”, analyzes Basile Ricquier, one of the three partners having created 3D Tex.
Inaugurated in September, its factory has the particularity of knitting seamlessly thanks to sophisticated machines that work in 3D. The concept has arguments: it produces almost no waste and generates no tissue loss. Its seamless assembly is more resistant and avoids the use of kilometers of thread. And above all, it is made in France. In 2022, 3D Tex hopes to produce 80,000 pieces for its first full year of operation. “But we are not yet at the desired yield. Above all because our training takes time,” continues Basile Ricquier.
Le Slip français, TBS or Auchan as customers
In recent years, the entrepreneur had to convince the banks to follow him, then the clothing brands. He has to fight production costs every day to remain competitive. But its biggest challenge was to find qualified labor to carry out the manual tasks, in particular the remeshing operations.
3D Tex therefore recruited and trained 20 people for six months to ensure the production of its sweaters and hats. The company employs around thirty people in total but intends to employ 80 to 100 by 2025. Overflowing optimism? Rather a striking observation: barely launched, the company already has a full order book for the year 2022 thanks to around twenty brands such as TBS, Le Slip Français but also less “renowned” distributors such as Gémo or Auchan.
Promoting French know-how
The Saint-Malo company was also able to count on the support of the local fashion giant. Based in Saint-Malo, the Beaumanoir group has chosen to take a stake in the capital of 3D Tex and has already produced several three-dimensional models for its ready-to-wear brands Bonobo and Bréal. “The objective is to promote French know-how and reduce the ecological impact of the textile industry”, then justified Roland Beaumanoir, the group’s founder, promising “production in just thirty minutes”.
The thorny issue of cost remains to be resolved. The founder of 3D Tex admits that his products are “still really more expensive” than those made in Asia. But by reducing the margin and designing more resistant products, the company was able to stand out. “Brands can afford to sell more if the product is more sustainable and made locally. But if we really want to lower prices, we have to increase production. It’s up to the textile industry to get involved,” summarizes Basile Ricquier.
His company did not wait for the world of ready-to-wear to be convinced and has already turned to other outlets such as the medical or automotive sectors. With an inexhaustible source of hope. “Textile is everywhere”.